Sources: Good chance Alex Rodriguez can play with injury for New York Yankees … Hip surgery is the worst-case scenario for Alex Rodriguez, but the specialist who examined the Yankees' third baseman earlier this week indicated there is a very good chance that Rodriguez could play the whole season with the labrum tear, sources say.

Gagne to see Dr. Yocum, Crew season likely over  —  Eric Gagne will see noted orthopedist Lewis Yocum in Tempe, Ariz. on Saturday for a second opinion on his injured right shoulder.  Whether or not Gagne opts for surgery, it appears extremely unlikely that he'll win a spot on the Brewers' big league roster.

Major League Baseball Bans “A-Fraud”  —  Any fan hoping to make fun of New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez can no longer get a No. 13 Yankees jersey with the word “A-Fraud” on the back.  —  MLB.com has banned the new A-Rod nickname from the personalization feature on replica jerseys on MLB.com.

Heightened pressure now heaped on Teixeira  —  So Alex Rodriguez embarks on an uncertain course.  The Yankees don't know if he'll be available Opening Day or in May.  They don't know if he'll be available next week.  His intention is to prepare and play each day until his hip …

How much is a great fielder worth? 25 runs.  —  Here's one way to tell.  —  Last year in 2008, with Mark Ellis on the field — perhaps the best-fielding 2B of our generation — the A's allowed 457 runs while recording 3035 outs.  This means they allowed 4.07 runs per game.

Emptying the notebook...  - The Brewers' veterans are doing everything they can to make sure third base prospect Mat Gamel “gets” the enormity of the opportunity he's facing.  Gamel, who is in his first big league camp, was a late arrival Friday morning apparently because his alarm clock failed …

Korea makes grand statement in rout  —  Six-run first inning more than enough to down Chinese Taipei  —  TOKYO — Right-fielder Jin Young Lee belted a grand slam to cap a six-run first inning, and Keun Woo Jeong blasted a two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth to give Team Korea …

Angels' Guerrero is a year older than listed  —  Buzz up!  —  TEMPE, Ariz. - Los Angeles Angels outfielder Vladimir Guerrero said Friday he is a year older than his listed birth date, joining hundreds of players from the Dominican Republic who faked their ages when signing their first contracts with major-league teams.

The wait is over!  The mailbag comes through  —  Jack from Swarthmore, Pa., e-mailed Wednesday just to say, “69 days! 69 days since your last mailbag!  You're killin' me!  For god sakes, I went through finals without a fresh mailbag to sink my teeth into.  Over 1,500 hours of mailbag-less time.

The wrap-up from Jupiter  —  The Mets beat the Cardinals, 5-4, Friday as Marlon Anderson's RBI single in the ninth scored Jose Valentin with the decisive run.  Valentin went 3-for-4, while Anderson raised his spring average to .400 with a 2-for-2 game.  —  First-base ump Angel Hernandez gave …

Strange morning here at Phoenix Muni and Duchscherer update  —  Generally, reporters meet with manager Bob Geren at 9:15 a.m. when the team starts stretching.  It's nearly 10:30, still no sign of Geren, and Bobby Crosby didn't come out to stretch until after 10, so more than 45 minutes after the rest of the team.

Bittersweet parting  —  Geoff Geary is coming off a career year, but it took his being dealt from a team that won it all  —  KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The emotions swirled through Geoff Geary's head as if they were in a blender.  There was bitterness and happiness, even a little bit of envy.